Interview with author Cate Masters and a sneak peek into her book Dead to Rights

Welcome to this stop on Cate Master's tour!!  I was thrilled to be able to nail this lovely lady down for an interview!  This is what she had to say:

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?

I never had an epiphany, per se. I simply began writing at a very young age. I was lucky to grow up in an artsy town and had creative friends. From about age 11, we wrote poetry, sketched, sang together, and I played piano and guitar (very badly!). In my twenties, I began writing short stories, some of which were published in literary and web zines. In my thirties, I ventured into novels.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?

I’m open to a wide range of ideas, and my overactive imagination always takes the “what if” question to great lengths. Anything can spark a story idea, from a photo to an overheard bit of conversation, a news article, or simply an insistent character stomping around my head until I pay her notice.

What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing? A solitary childhood. I read quite a lot, and as I said, loved to draw and stretch my imagination in various ways. Writing came as a natural expression, and in fact I expressed ideas more effectively through writing than by speaking.

I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?

Stories play like videos in my head as I write, and sometimes what I envision doesn’t always translate to the page. That’s when I depend on my wonderful crit partners to point out the weak areas.

Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?

Not difficult, but I challenge myself not to repeat wording. So many phrases make me cringe, and as a reader, I often skim over such scenes, so I do my best to engage readers with fresh language (pardon the pun!).

Do you see yourself writing in another genre?

My stories span genres, and mash them. I’m not a fan of labels, so don’t think about genre when I write. What’s most important to me is that the story is compelling and the characters interesting.

Has your family been supportive?I couldn’t have written nearly as much if my family didn’t support my strange, solitary, writerly ways. They’ve all been amazing.

Are any of your characters reflective of you?

I suppose it’s inevitable that bits of me end up as part of my characters’ traits, but never intentionally. One of the best things about writing is that I can shed my skin and get into an entirely new one through my characters.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Spending time with my family takes priority. I love reading, and capturing interesting photographs, too.

Who is your favorite book heroine?

Choose a favorite among my children? I can’t do it. I love them all.

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?

Other than spending much too much time alone? Nothing unusual, really. I’m rather boring. I wish I could say I’m a world traveler and use those experiences in my writing, but I rely on research, and my imagination.

What is your favorite mystical creature?

I’ve always wanted to ride Pegasus, the winged horse. How fantastic would that be?

What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?

Writing short stories became a habit. They’re excellent for teaching writers to use succinct wording, but I never believed I had a novel in me until I tackled one, a chapter at a time, and then it seemed a great victory.

How do you feel about reader comments?

I love them! Feedback’s very important to me. I always welcome comments.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Keep writing and learning, and don’t give up!

Where are your books available?

Through any of my publishers: Decadent Publishing, Book Strand, The Wild Rose Press, Lyrical Press and Eternal Press. I also self-publish works after rights revert to me, and those are on Amazon and Smashwords. My blog has links to all: http://catemasters.blogspot.com

What can we expect from you in the future?

I have two more novels in mind for The Goddess Connection series, and about a dozen WIPs, ranging from contemporary to fantasy/paranormal.

Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

My main site is my blog, and it has most links but here’s more:

Blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736?ref=ts

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CateMasters

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2944596.Cate_Masters

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cate-Masters/e/B002OBQ98A/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1331753999

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CateMasters

Thanks so much for having me at Close Encounters with the Night Kind! It’s been a pleasure.

It was a pleasure having you Cate!!! :)

Bio:

Cate Masters loves stories with a dash of magic, mayhem and romance! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Friend her on Facebook or Goodreads, or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail.com

Dead to Rights – dark paranormal/urban fantasy

Available from Decadent Publishing

http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=500&osCsid=1rs5de21jcfh2ov3ikjhd26tk4

I’d love for you to check out an excerpt, view the book video, Casting Call and more at: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2009/06/dead-to-rights-contemporary-paranormal.html

Blurb:

Identity theft sucks. But it’s worse when someone steals your life—body included. All memory of her life before waking up in a mental facility has vanished. Or was erased. Now she has to figure out how to get it all back….

Her only hope of learning the truth lies with one man. Problem is, he’s the leader of a cult. Her only choice is to follow him into his sordid world, where a darker evil lurks.

With a little help from an archangel hellbent on revenge, she may have a chance to learn the truth. But will it force her to make the hardest decision of her life…or death?

Book video